Throttle control device



May 26, 1942. c. QDRABBLE,

' THROTTLE CONTROL DEvIqE Filed Nov. 4, 1940 //v vi/vrafi: CLIFFORD are: ave/455;:

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ATTOR/VEK Patented May 26, 1942 UNETED sTAr s PATENT OFFICE v THROTTLE CONTROL DE IC Clifiord Stone'Dr-a-bble, Windsor, Ontario, Canada Application November 4, 1940, Serial No. 364,219

7" Glaims. (o1 192-'-3){ This invention relates to control devices for carburetor throttles of internal combustionen gines.

In present day automotive vehicle ssithereusually provided two control means for theenbe maintained in one position over a long period of time. Moreover, road shocks transmitted to the foot cause uneven feeding of the fuel mixis provided: a substantiallyrectangular opening 18, and extending through such opening is a raised portion I9 formed on the piston and having a curved cam surface 20 on one side thereof. As shown, the portion I9 is shorter in length than the opening l8 and thus permits a reciprocating movement of the piston, such movement towards the open end of the cylinder being limture and consequent uneven speed and added gasoline consumption.

It is an object of the invention to provide means associated with the foot accelerator, for automatically locking the throttle inany; open position to which it may be moved by the accelerator whereby the foot may be'removed from the accelerator and the throttle maintained at such, fixed open position, together with-means,

preferably associated with other Vehicle control a means, for unlocking said locking means The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which, V

Figures; l-andl2 are side elevations of thedevice in two operating positions, and 1 Figure 3 is an end elevation. j

The device is shown-in the drawing as applied toa carburetor l of standard design having a throttle valve '2 mounted on a throttle shaft 3 and adapted to supplyfuel mixture to the intake manifold 4 of an automotive vehicle internal combustion engine (not shown). The usual foot-operated accelerator rod 5, connectedto the throttle shaft, is provided. Instead, however, of the usual hand connection to the throttle shaft, there is provided an automatic lock comprising a sector-shaped ratchet plate 6 fixed to one end of the shaft and having ratchet teeth I in the arc edge thereof.

Positioned adjacent the ratchet plate is a small cylinder 8 having a lateral extension 9 thereon by means of whichit may beconvenientlymounted, as by a bolt l0, on the carburetor flange. II. The cylinder has a closed end l2 and an open end l3 and contains a reciprocable piston M, which is normally urged into contact with the closed end by means of a' spring I5, seated in a cylindrical depression It in the piston end and secured in position by a pin I! in the cylinder wall and extendingacross the openend of the cylinder.

In the upper portion of the cylinder wall there ited by contact of the surface 20 with the end edge of the opening, as shown in Figure 2.

I A pawl 2| is pivotally mounted on a pin 22 between a pair of cars 23 extending upwardly from the upper surface of the cylinder. 7 One end of the pawl is adapted for engagement with the ratchet 1 and the other end has a portion 24 extending downwardly into the cylinder opening {8 V and having a curved cam surface edgeZ l adapted to cooperate with the cam surface 20 on the raised piston portion l9. It will be noted that, with the parts in the position shown in Figure 1, the pawl is in engagement with the ratchet, the piston being in contact with the closed end of the cylinder. Reciproca-tion of the piston to the left causes upward movement of the end 24 of the pawl by contact of the cooperating cam sur- 7 faces 24 and 29. The other end of the pawl is thereby moved out of engagement with the ratchet, as shown in Figure 2.

Means for locking the parts in the position shown in Figure 2, with the pawl and ratchet disengaged, comprises a dog 25, pivotally mounted on the pin 22 and having a downwardly extending end 25' urged downwardly by the spring 26 connected to an upwardly extending arm 21 on the dog, and to the cylinder 8. It will be observed that, with the partsin the position shown in Figure l, the dogengages the top surface of the raised portion l9fof the piston, but on reciprocation of the piston to the left, the dog drops over the end of raised portion I9 into the position shownin Figure 2 and prevents return reciprocation of the piston to the right, thus maintaining disengagement of the pawl and ratchet.

Means for manually moving the dog upwardly cut of engagement with the end of raised portion l9 to permit return reciprocation of the piston to the right and engagement of pawl and ratchet comprises a wire connection 28 between the arm 2'! and a pull button 29 on the dash 33 of the vehicle, A rearwardly extending stop 33 is formed on thevdo g. 1

Any, suitable power or manual means may be employed for effecting reciprocation of the piston to the left, as viewed in the, drawing, to disengage the pawl from the ratchet. Thus, an electrical, mechanical, or vacuumatic connection may be provided for the purpose. However, a. preferred. manner is illustrated diagrammatically in the drawing and comprises a conduit 3|, communicating with a hydraulic brake the opposite direction.

2 fluid conduit 32 of the vehicle, and leading into the interior of the cylinderthrough theclosed end thereof, as illustrated. Thus, on application of the brake of the vehicle, and placing of the fluid in conduits 3| and 32 under pressure, such fluid under pressure forces the. piston to the left against the action of spring 15. It follows that the throttle locking means, comprising the 7 carried by the pawl, and engageable by said first cam member, spring means for reciprocating the piston to a position in one direction to permit pawl and ratchet described, becomesautomati 7 cally disengaged whenever the brake of the vehicle is applied.

The operation of the-device will be apparent from the foregoing description. With the parts in the position shown Figure 2, the pawl and ratchet control means is maintained in inoperative position 'bythe dog and the" vehicle throttle controlled by the driver in normal manner "by means of the accelerator. When the driver desiresto set the throttle at a fixed speed,

he pulls button 29 to disengage dog 25-and effect engagement of the pawl and ratchet. Thereafter, he opens the throttle by means of the accelerator until the desired speed is reached, and the throttle is maintained in its farthest open position by the pawl and ratchet. If it is necessary to reduce speed and the brakes are, applied, the pawl and ratchet connection is automatically broken by reciprocationof the piston to the left in the manner previously. de-

scribed.

There is thus provided a device which may be conveniently placed in 'fully' automatic operation to lock the throttle in any open position to which it may be moved by the driver and wherein the throttle lock may'automatically be broken by actuation of another vehicle control means such as the brake. The device thus makes pos-' sible the convenient setting of the throttle. during long distance driving and the resultant avoidance of foot strain and uneven fuel mixture feeding. a

I claim:

1. In an automotive vehicle having a carburetor, a throttle shaft therein and a throttle valve on the shaft, ratchet means fixed to one end of the shaft, a pawl adjacent said ratchet means, and means for placing said pawl into and out of engagement with said ratchet means comprising a cylinder having a reciprocatable piston therein, a cam member carried by the piston and a cooperating cam member-carried by said pawl.

2. In an automotive vehicle having a carburetor, a throttle shaft therein and a throttle valve on the shaft, ratchet means fixedto one end of the shaft, a pawl adjacent the ratchet means, and means for placing saidpawl into and out of engagement with the ratchet means comprising a cylinder having a piston thereon, a cam member carried by 'thepiston, a second cam member carried by the pawl and engageable by said first cam member, spring means for reciprocating the piston in one direction and fluid pressure means for reciprocating the piston in 3., In an automotive vehicle having a carburetor, a throttle shaft therein and athrottle valve on the shaft, ratchet means fixed to one end'of the shaft, a pawl adjacent the ratchet means, means for placing said pawl into and out of engagement with the ratchet means comprising a cylinder having a piston therein, a cam mem-' ber carried bythe piston, a second cam member.

gagement of said pawl and ratchet means by cooperative movement of said cam members, a spring-urged dog for locking the piston in said last-mentioned position, and manually actuated means forreleasing said dog.

4. In an automotive vehicle having a carburetor,-a throttleshaft therein and a throttle valve on the shaft, 8. member fixed to one end of said shaft for revolution therewith, a second mem- -ber engageable with s'aid first member and operable to prevent revolution of said shaft and first member. in'one direction while permitting revolution in the reverse direction, means responsive to actuation of a vehicle control member for placing said second member in inoperative posi- .engageable with said first member to prevent revolution of said shaft and first member in one direction while permitting revolution in the reverse direction, means responsive to actuation of a vehicle control member for moving said sec,- ond member out of engagement with said first member, latch meanslocking said second me ber in disengaged position whenever place therein, manually operated means for unlockin'g the latch means and means operating automatically on unlooking of the latch means for permitting said second member to move intoengagement with said first member. a .6. In an automotive vehicle having a carburetor frame, a throttle shaft journalled therein and a throttle valve on the shaft, a segmental ratchet fixed toone end of the shaft for revolution therewith, a pawl engageable with said ratchet and having a pivotalmounting fixed with respect to said frame, means responsive to actuation of a vehicle control member for moving said pawl out of engagement with the ratchet, latch means locking said pawl in such disengaged position whenever moved therein, manually operated means for unlocking said latch means and means for permitting said pawl to move into engagement with the ratchet. i I

l 7. In an automotive vehicle having a carburetor frame, a throttle shaft journalled therein and a throttle valve on the shaft, a segmental ratchet fixed to one end of the shaft for revolution therewith, a support fixed to said frame, a pawl having a pivotal-mounting in said support, spring means urging said pawl into engagement with said ratchet, means responsive to actuation of a vehicle control mean for moving said pawl out ofehgagement with said ratchet, a locking dog carried by said pawl and engageable with said support to lock said pawl in disengaged position whenever moved therein, and manually operated means for unlocking said locking dog.

CLIFFORD STONE DRABBIFI. 

